History Made As Burdekin Local Undergoes Landmark Surgery

By Jacob Casha

It was during her youth that Home Hill-born Marj Manak was told she might not live to see adulthood, after being diagnosed with a serious liver condition as a baby. Fast forward to 2025, and the now 56-year-old mother of two has become the first patient to undergo a successful kidney transplant through the North Queensland Kidney Transplant Service (NQKTS); a milestone for both herself and the region.

The transplant follows decades of health challenges for Marj, including two previous liver transplants, multiple surgeries, and years of medication that eventually damaged her kidneys. The successful surgery, completed in August, has given her a new lease on life, freeing her from dialysis and restoring a level of independence she had long been denied.

The NQKTS is expected to perform around 30 transplants in its first year, with plans to expand further in the future. Based at Townsville University Hospital, the service was introduced earlier this year to provide advanced kidney care closer to home for patients across the region. For Burdekin residents like Marj, it means life-changing convenience.

"Being closer to our home base was great," she says. "During the recovery process we were allowed to go home to Ayr for a day which was handy to check on things and the house, and wouldn't be possible if I had had my transplant in Brisbane."

"My adult children were also able to visit regularly, as were my brother and sister-in-law... The people of the Burdekin who need this service will be amazed at how much easier it is than going to Brisbane."

Marj was left impressed by the NQKTS, praising not just the technical skill on display but also the level of care and support she received throughout the process.

"The medical expertise and care is of a high, professional level, equal to that of Brisbane and on our back doorstep. The staff are very well trained and the surgeons are highly skilled, [and] every effort was made to make me and my husband comfortable and calm."

She credited her husband, John, as one of her main avenues of support throughout the journey. "Without him, I would not be here," she said. His employer, Wilmar Sugar, also played a role, allowing John time off work over the years to accompany Marj to appointments leading up to and during the transplant.

The experience also reinforced for Marj just how life-changing organ donation can be.

"Thinking of the donor and their family was at the front of my mind from day one in hospital," she said. "From their pain and loss, I and others have benefited and I will always be grateful for that. It is important that people have the conversation with their loved ones about organ donation and registering to be an organ donor."

Now on her road to recovery, Marj is taking things at her own pace, enjoying simple pleasures she had previously missed. "Recovery will take quite a few months, so I will be taking it easy. I am enjoying cooking a lot more now that I have more energy, and we will be going on holiday." She also has a new kitten to keep her on her toes and is looking forward to starting a long-postponed bathroom renovation.

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The successful surgery, completed in August, has given Marj a new lease on life, freeing her from dialysis and restoring a level of independence she had long been denied. Photo supplied
Marj credited her husband, John, as one of her main avenues of support throughout the journey. Photo supplied

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